Hinge assembly having limiting and positioning abilities

ABSTRACT

A hinge includes a first sleeve and a second sleeve pivotally engaged with the first sleeve. The first sleeve has an arcuate step formed on a peripheral edge thereof, a neck extending from an inner periphery of the arcuate step, at least one indentation defined in the arcuate step and a first right angle defined at an intersection between the arcuate step and the peripheral edge. The second sleeve has at least one projection formed on a peripheral edge thereof to correspond to and be selectively received in the at least one indentation of the first sleeve so as to provide a positioning effect to the second sleeve when the at least one projection is received in the at least one indentation and a second right angle defined in the peripheral edge of the second sleeve to correspond to the first right angle such that a wall defining the first right angle abutting a wall defining the second right angle is able to prevent excessive pivotal movement of the second sleeve relative to the first sleeve.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a hinge assembly, and more particularly to a hinge assembly having limiting and positioning abilities to avoid damage to appliances connected to the hinge assembly.

2. Description of the Prior Art

As well known in the art, a hinge is provided between two objects so as to provide a pivotal relationship between the two objects. Examples can be seen everywhere in daily lives. A common example is the display and the base of a computer, wherein the display pivots about a central axis of the hinge so that various observation angles are provided to different operators. In order to protect the display from damage resulted from excessive pivotal movement of the display relative to the base of the computer, the pivotal angle of the display is limited within a certain range. That is, the pivotal movement of the display is stopped when the display is pivoted to a critical angle. However, when the display is pivoted toward the base to the critical angle relative to the base, if the operator continues to apply a force to the display, eventually the display is damaged.

To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention tends to provide an improved hinge assembly to mitigate the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a hinge assembly having limiting and positioning abilities.

In order to accomplish the aforementioned objective, the hinge assembly of the present invention includes a first sleeve and a second sleeve pivotable relative to the first sleeve. The first sleeve has multiple indentations defined in a peripheral edge thereof and a first right angle formed on the peripheral edge of the first sleeve. The second sleeve has multiple projections formed on a peripheral edge of the second sleeve to correspond to the indentations and a second right angle formed on the peripheral edge of the second sleeve to correspond and abut to the first right angle of the first sleeve.

Another objective of the present invention is that the second sleeve is pivotally engaged with the first sleeve such that the when the screen of a laptop computer is engaged with a base of the laptop computer, engagement between side walls defining the first right angle and the second right angle causes that even there is additional force applied to the screen, the screen will not move further toward the base, which protect the screen from damage resulted from friction with the base.

A further objective of the present invention is that while the second sleeve is pivotal relative to the first sleeve, the projections of the second sleeve received in the indentations of the first sleeve result in provision of positioning effect to the screen relative to the base.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the hinge of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the hinge in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the first sleeve and the second sleeve;

FIG. 4 is a schematic side plan view showing that the first right angle of the first sleeve is abutting the second right angle of the second sleeve;

FIG. 5 is an operational view showing that the second sleeve is pivotal relative to the first sleeve;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing that the hinge of the present invention is applied to attach to the screen and the base of a laptop computer respectively; and

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of the hinge of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, it is noted that the hinge in accordance with the present invention includes a shank (10), a bracket (20), a first sleeve (30), a second sleeve (40), a resilient member (50), a first washer (60), a securing member (70), a second washer (80) and a pad (81).

The shank (10) is composed of an extending portion (11) and an engagement portion (12). The extending portion (11) has a threading (111) formed on a free end thereof and the engagement portion (12) is adapted to connect to a screen of a laptop computer (not shown). A crown (13) is formed and sandwiched between the extending portion (11) and the engagement portion (12).

The bracket (20) is composed of a bottom (21) and an upright wall (22) vertically extending from a side face of the bottom (21). The bottom (21) is adapted to connect to a base of a laptop computer (not shown) and the upright wall (22) has a first through hole (221) defined through the upright wall (22), two notches (222) each defined in a side face of the upright wall (22) to be opposite to each other and a fixing hole (223) defined in the upright wall (22).

The first sleeve (30) has a second through hole (31) defined to correspond to and communicate with the first through hole (221) of the upright wall (22) and two bosses (32) each formed on an outer periphery of two opposed sides of the first sleeve (30) to correspond to and be received in the two notches (222) of the upright wall (22) of the bracket (20).

With reference further to FIG. 3, it is observed that the first sleeve (30) still includes an arcuate step (33) formed on a peripheral edge thereof, a first indentation (34) formed on a peripheral edge of a neck (300) which extends from an inner peripheral face of the step (33), a second indentation (35) defined in a peripheral edge of the step (33) and a third indentation (36) defined in the peripheral edge of the neck (300) to be opposite to that of the first indentation (34). A first arcuate face (341) is sandwiched between the first indentation (34) and the peripheral edge of the neck (300). A third arcuate face (361) is sandwiched between the third indentation (36) and the peripheral edge of the neck (300). A second arcuate face (35-1) is sandwiched between the second indentation and the peripheral edge of the neck (300) and a first right angle (352) is sandwiched between the second arcuate face (351) and the peripheral edge of the neck (300).

Furthermore, the second sleeve (40) includes a hole (41) having a configuration corresponded to a shape of the extending portion (11) of the shank (10), a first projection (42) extending from a peripheral edge thereof with a first arcuate face (421) formed therebetween to be engageable with the peripheral edge of the neck (300) of the first sleeve (30), a second projection (43) extending from the peripheral edge thereof with a second arcuate face (431) formed therebetween to be opposite to that of the first projection (43) and to correspond to and being engageable with a periphery defining the arcuate step (33) and a third projection (44) opposite to that of the first projection (42) and having a height the same as that of the first projection (42) so that the third projection (44) is able to engage with the peripheral edge of the neck (300). A third arcuate face (441) is formed to bridge the third projection (44) to the peripheral edge of the second sleeve (40). It is noted that the second projection (43) has a height the same as a depth of the arcuate step (33) such that the second projection (43) is slidably engaged with the periphery defining the arcuate step (33) and receivable in the corresponding indentation (35) of the first sleeve (30).

The resilient member (50) is mounted around the extending portion (11) of the shank (10) to provide recovery force to the hinge after the hinge is pivoted. The first washer (60), the second washer (80) and the pad (81) are all mounted around the extending portion (11) of the shank (10) and the securing member (70) is threadingly mounted around the extending portion (11) to secure the combination of the hinge of the present invention.

It is noted that when the hinge is assembled, the first sleeve (30) is mounted on the bracket (20) with the two bosses (32) received in the two corresponding notches (222) of the upright wall (22) of the bracket (20). The hole (41) is so configured that after the extending portion (11) extends through the hole (41), there is no relative movement between the shank (10) and the second sleeve (40). That is, the hole (41) is configured to have a shape corresponding to that of the extending portion (11) such that after the extending portion (11) extends through the hole (41), the second sleeve (40) is securely mounted around the extending portion (11) of the shank (10).

Because the focus of the present invention lies on the structure and function of the first sleeve (30) and the second sleeve (40), the mounting of the resilient member (50), the first washer (60), the second washer (80), the pad (81) and the securing member (70) is omitted for clarity and to avoid confusion.

With reference to FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, when the engagement portion (12) of the shank (10) is securely connected to the screen (90) of the laptop computer and the bottom (21) of the bracket (20) is securely connected to the base (91) of the laptop computer and when the screen (90) is pivoted relative to the base (91), the first projection (42) and the third projection (44) are slidably engaged with the peripheral edge of the neck (300) to be selectively received in the corresponding first indentation (34) and the third indentation (36). Further, the second projection (43) is slidably engaged with the peripheral edge of the arcuate step (33) and selectively received in the second indentation (35). When the first projection, (42), the second projection (43) and the third projection (44) are actually received in the corresponding first indentation (34), the second indentation (35) and the third indentation (36), a positioning effect is provided to the screen (90) to hold the screen (90) in position relative to the base (91) so that the user of the laptop computer is able to watch the screen (90) at an angle required.

When the screen (90) is pivoted toward the base (91) and engaged with the base (91) at a time when the laptop computer is no longer in need, a wall defining the first right angle (352) engages and abuts a wall defining the second right angle (432) to stop further pivotal movement of the screen (90) toward the base (91). Therefore, damage to the screen (90) resulted from mutual friction between the screen (90) and the base (91) is avoided. Due to the mutual abutment between the two walls respectively defining the first right angle (352) and the second right angle (432), the pivotal movement of the screen (of the second sleeve (40)) relative to the base (91) (to the first sleeve (30)) is stopped.

From the above description, it is noted that the incorporation of the indentations and the projections provides a positioning effect to the hinge of the present invention when the screen is pivoted relative to the base. However, when the screen is closed to have the screen engaged with the base, the engagement between the walls defining the first right angle and the second right angle, respectively, stops further pivotal movement of the screen so that damage to the screen is avoided.

With reference to FIG. 7, it is noted that the first sleeve (30′) may have an extension (37) extending from a side face of the first sleeve (30′) to correspond to and extending through the fixing hole (223) of the bracket (20) so that the first sleeve (30′) is immovable relative to the bracket (20).

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 

1. In a hinge having a bracket, a shank having an engagement portion adapted to securely engage with a screen of a laptop computer and an extending portion extending from a free end of the engagement portion and through the bracket, a first sleeve securely engaged with the bracket and a second sleeve pivotally engaged with the first sleeve, wherein the first sleeve has an arcuate step formed on a peripheral edge thereof, a neck extending from an inner periphery of the arcuate step, at least one indentation defined in the arcuate step and a first right angle defined at an intersection between the arcuate step and the peripheral edge; and the second sleeve has at least one projection formed on a peripheral edge thereof to correspond to and be selectively received in the at least one indentation of the first sleeve so as to provide a positioning effect to the second sleeve when the at least one projection is received in the at least one indentation and a second right angle defined in the peripheral edge of the second sleeve to correspond to the first right angle such that a wall defining the first right angle abutting a wall defining the second right angle is able to prevent excessive pivotal movement of the second sleeve relative to the first sleeve.
 2. The hinge as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one indentation includes a first indentation defined in the peripheral edge of the first sleeve and a second indentation also defined in the peripheral edge of the first sleeve to be opposite to the first indentation.
 3. The hinge as claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least one projection includes a first projection formed on the peripheral edge of the second sleeve and a second projection also formed on the peripheral edge of the second sleeve so that the first projection and the second projection are able to slidably engage with the peripheral edge of the first sleeve and the first projection and the second projection of the second sleeve are able to be selectively received in the first indentation and the second indentation of the first sleeve.
 4. The hinge as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first sleeve further has a third indentation defined in a peripheral edge of the arcuate step to be adjacent to the first right angle, the second sleeve further has a third projection adjacent to the second right angle and defined in the peripheral edge of the second sleeve, the third projection having a height the same as a depth of the arcuate step so as to correspond to and be selectively received in the third indentation of the first sleeve.
 5. The hinge as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first sleeve has a first arcuate face bridging the first indentation to the peripheral edge of the first sleeve, a second arcuate face bridging the second indentation to the peripheral edge of the first sleeve and a third arcuate face bridging the third indentation to the first right angle, the second sleeve has a first arcuate bridging face bridging the first projection to the peripheral edge of the second sleeve, a second arcuate bridging face bridging the second projection to the peripheral edge of the second sleeve and a third arcuate bridging face bridging the third projection to the peripheral edge of the second projection. 